


The Second Night

by Janusa



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Introspection, Light Angst, M/M, POV Magnus Bane, Supportive Alec Lightwood, after 3x10, idk where I'm going with this, soft boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 21:03:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15849327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janusa/pseuds/Janusa
Summary: It’s the second night Magnus spends without his magic, and it's very different from the first one.





	The Second Night

It’s the second night Magnus spends without his magic.

The first one passes in a vortex of blurry images. They saved Jace, killed Jonathan and got ridden of Lilith, and they lost Clary. Some said the outcome was as good as they could have hoped for. _Collateral damage,_ some say, Magnus doesn’t agree with them. They were supposed to save them all.

 

Magnus still remembers when Jocelyn knocked at his door with a seven-year-old Clary. She had been scared but her eyes showed a fierceness he had seen very few times in his long life.

She didn’t remember him but Magnus watched her grow up… and now she was gone. Another bright soul that parts too soon.

Her body was calcined in the explosion so he guesses she won’t have a Rite of Mourning. Although, Magnus isn’t expert in Shadowhunters traditions and protocol. Besides, that isn’t the only issue to deal with at the moment.

Simon has left the Institute, as well as Luke and his partner, Ollie. Meanwhile, an anxious and emotional Maryse is going from one side to the other hollering orders. No one dares to do anything but obey.

She may not have runes in her body anymore but she is still Maryse Lightwood and a worried mother.

Alec, Jace, and Isabelle are in the infirmary, changing Alec’s bandages. Since Jace came back to be Jace again the siblings haven’t been apart for one minute. It’s like they can’t believe the three of them are finally together. None of them possessed, missing or hiding.

Magnus wants to enter the room and hold Alec’s hand but he doesn’t. This is _their_ time. Magnus can hear the voices on the other side. Alec hisses and Isabelle scolds someone, then there are laughs and Alec growls in pain, he says something that sounds like _“not that good yet”._ Magnus is still worried but smiles when he sees the siblings come out of the infirmary.

Alec is fighting with the arm splint, trying to take it off. Isabelle snaps his good hand. “Leave it.”

“It itches!” he complains.

“I know but you need it, _iratzes_ speed up the process but can’t heal broken bones.” Isabelle chastises and adjusts the splint in place.

Jace is next to them and Magnus can see there the shadows under Jace’s eyes and _in_ them. Jace looks intensely to the splint and Magnus knows he’s blaming himself for it, even when he had no choice. Magnus also knows it’ll take him a long time until that changes but Jace is a warrior and a survivor. Besides he has people who love him to help him through it.

Alec reaches with his good hand to take Magnus’ and intertwine their fingers. A touch so casual and simple that could mean nothing for some but means the world to Magnus. The proximity and intimacy of it is like a balm to Magnus’ sore soul.

Alec keeps talking but Magnus mutes his surroundings, his focus on the man next to him. They say good night and everyone directs to their room. Tomorrow will be a long day.

It is a moment later that Magnus realizes that if he wants to go home he'll have to do it the mundane way. Magnus knows how to do it, however, it feels wrong. Now that it sinks in him, he can't remember where the keys to his loft are.

“Do you want to stay tonight?” Alec asks him, calling his attention back just for Magnus to realize that is only him and Alec in the corridor.

Magnus blinks. “What?”

Alec repeats his question, he doesn’t make further comments and Magnus appreciates it immensely. Magnus accepts, there is so much going on and Alec can’t leave the Institute and Magnus doesn’t, _can’t_ leave Alec. Not after tonight.

They get to Alec’s bedroom in what Magnus feels was the blink of an eye, his mind still diverted after the events of the last days.

Alec locks the door and Magnus can still hear voices outside, not too far away from them but is faint. It helps Magnus to relax a little. They don’t talk, just go through their usual before-bed routine.

Magnus is undressing to take a quick shower when Alec hands him a t-shirt, sweatpants and a toothbrush. “Thank you.” he murmurs and caress his cheek and goes to take that much needed shower.

Magnus understands why Alec had liked so much his shampoo, his smells like… a cleaning product. It’s not a bad smell but more like something you’d smell in a floor hospital and not on someone’s hair.

When he comes out of the shower and looks his reflection in the mirror of the bathroom he realizes he had forgotten about his make up. It’s not big deal, it _shouldn’t_ be a big deal. He’s used to doing by hand all his skincare routine but., obviously, he can’t do it at the Institute. Any other day he could have fixed the inconvenience with a snap of his fingers, but not today. _Never again_ , a part of his mind whispers, the part that always gets the best of Magnus.

Before he can keep overthinking, the sound of a package being open call his attention. He turns his head and Alec is standing there under the door frame, he looks even taller here, just a few inches spare his head from the wooden frame.

Magnus notices, that this room doesn’t tell him much about who Alec is, there is just the default furniture of all the bedrooms in the Institute, not something chosen. There is a picture of Alec with his siblings over the night table and some books from the Institute library and one from Magnus’. Besides that, nothing. The room Alec has inhabited for over twenty years feels so… impersonal. There are more bits of Alec in Magnus’ loft than in Alec’s own bedroom.

“Stop overthinking.” Magnus had lost in his thoughts again, he’s been doing that a lot recently. “You can do it in the morning, now is time to sleep.” Magnus gives Alec a glare. Exasperation and fondness invade his chest at having his words turned back to him.

Alec takes one of the wet wipes that Magnus guesses he got from Isabelle and puts one finger under his chin to lift his face. The touch is so very tender and warmth spreads through all of Magnus’ body, relaxing him in a way the shower didn’t. Alec removed the remains of his smeared makeup with soft taps even when Magnus told him he could it by himself.

Magnus smiled. Alec may not fully comprehend his inner struggle, how losing your magic feels but he’s trying. Alexander is always trying, and all these gestures, that may seem small are his way of telling him. _I’m here, I got you and if you fall I’ll catch you._

“There, you are ready.” Alec takes off his shirt and lets the water from the shower run. “Now, I’m gonna take a shower.”

“I could use another shower.” Magnus jokes, looking Alec’s naked chest with intention.

“Go to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.” says Alec, trying to conceal his amused expression but it’s useless.

Magnus does as asked and Alec’s bed is, well not as comfortable as his. While he’s waiting for Alec in that hard rock bed, his mind flies back to yesterday against his will.

He had saved Alec this time but he had had his magic.

Magnus may be infinite —or not, he’s not sure of what’s happening to him anymore— but that’s what haunts him the most; the _what ifs_ . _What if you had arrived ten seconds later? Twenty?_ Magnus knows what would have happened.

There’s no much he can do to calm this feeling of oppression. His hands itch to touch Alec, to be near to him, make sure he’s okay. His rational part knows Alec is okay but still, it’s hard to surpass the initial shock of finding the love of your life laying on the ground with an arrow piercing his chest.

In an almost perfect timing, the other side of the bed dips and a strong arm push him into a strong chest. Alec runs his hand up and down Magnus’ arm, causing him goosebumps. “I love you.” Alec murmurs, the darkness, and quietness of the room give an air almost solemn to his words.

This is not the first time Alec has said those words or the tenth or the twentieth for that matter. Still, they have the same effect if not more than the first time Magnus had heard them.

“I love you too.” he answers, because there’s no other option, never has been, than loving Alec.

Alec leans in and kisses his nose, his cheek, the corner of his mouth, and finally, his lips. Short, little pecks that make Magnus’ heart flutter.

“Why was that?” Magnus definitely doesn’t pout when Alec finishes the kiss too soon. He’s not that lame.

“Because I love you.” he repeats and Magnus is sure he’ll never get tired of hearing those words.

The second night Magnus spends without his powers, the weight of it all starts to down on him and press down on his chest.

Alec’s words are a calming balm for Magnus’ wounds. They don’t cure him but alleviate the pain.

 


End file.
